Application of cosmetics



C. E. ZIMMERMAN APPLICATION or cosmmcs Oct. 17, 1939.

Filed Sept. 2, 1939 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES- PAT-ENT orrlca APPLICATION OF COSMETICS Charles E. Zimmerman, Chicago,-

Application September 2, 1939, Serial No. 293,191

Claims.

My invention relates to the application of cosmetics and includes among its objects an advance and improvement in the facility with which a precisely controlled amount of powdered cosmetic,

5 such as rouge, may be applied to the skin.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a package including a cosmetic applicator, a filling tool, and a suitable carrying case;

Figure 2 isa front elevation of such an applicator;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure .2 of the applicator with a charge of cosmetic in position therein ready for use;

Figure 4 is a perspective view indicating on method of filling the applicator; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view indicating an alternative method.

' In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, the applicator itself is a flat circular disc 2 inches in diameter and /2 inch thick.- Substantially midway between its opposite faces thebody of the applicator is slitted,.as by the insertion of a sharp knife or other cutting as tool, to form interior slit l0 having substantially the contour indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.

The mouth of the slit at l2 subtends an angle of substantially 45 degrees and the material adjacent the lip indicated at H in Figure 3 has a thickness on each side of the mouth of the slit of the order of. magnitude of from five to seven times the length of the mouth of the slit.

The applicator is of sheet latex of the type having a very slight skin, or relatively impermea- 35 ble layer along one face thereof. Such a skin is indicated at ii in the drawing, but in the drawing its thickness has been somewhat exaggerated for the sake of clearness. The skin 16 has a thickness of the order of magnitude of five- 40 thousands of an inch.

The applicator is preferably provided with a carrying case, or envelop [8, of impermeable material, such as Pliofilm, having aflap 20 long enough to fold over the 'end of the pocket when 5 the applicator is inside. In the same unit package I-provide a small flat and wooden paddle 22 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The user may fill the interior of the applicator with the shade and quality of powder selected by 50 the user. One method of filling is as illustrated in Figure 4, by holding the applicator in one hand and pinching it to cause the slit 1! to gape open, while a charge of powder 24 is picked up on the paddle 22 and dropped into the opening. -An al- 55 ternative method is illustrated in Figure 5;. The

.. l REISSUED uAR121940 'be as in Figure 3. After filling, the user strokes or pats the applicator against the back of one hand a half dozen times or so until power begins to find its way out of the porous side of the II applicator. No material is removed by the slitting of the applicator, so that in the condition of Figure 3, the rubber itself 1 is distorted and under stress and tends to press against and confine the powder inside it.

Thereafter, the applicator may be, stroked on the users check, or wherever it is desired to apply the powder.

With an applicator of the right degree of porosity, the rate at which the powder finds its way to the surface during such use, is approximately constant and also small enough so that the user soon acquires the habit of building up an application to the proper amount by repeated stroking, as distinguished from the common method of 25 applyinga material excess and then removing the excess. For instance, on the cheek, the user will customarily wipe once around the periphery of a relatively large circular area, twice around a smaller circle and then pat two or three times on 80 the center and the task is finishedj This eliminates a great deal of untidiness as compared with the methods heretofore in common use, and material having a density between 0.0018 and 0.0060 pound per cubic inch, has approximately the density of 0.0040 pound per cubic inch for this special use.

The applicator is made of latex, being a rubber productQof rubber substantially devoid of filler, and formed into finished shape while in a liquid 40 state. It is essential that the porosity of the material be high, and that the individual openings in the material interconnect freely. I have made many attempts to secure sponge rubber having the desired characteristics, but all those attempts were'failures. Even with latex, there are many products that are entirely unsuitable for'this purpose. To secure suitable results the degree of porosity and the size and shape of the individual openings must be controlled within .narrow limits. I have found, after repeated tests,

that for best results the density should be substantially .004 pound per cubic inch.

Variation between 0.0035 and 0.0045 pound per cubic inch, with a product in which the individual openings vary from microscopic sizes up to a maximum of the order of magnitude of 0.075 inch, does not change the results so materially as to be at all objectionable. And difi'erent but still satisfactory results can be obtained with denv sities as low as 0.0018 pound per cubic inch;

and as high as 0.0060 pound per cubic inch. Below 0.0018 the material not only discharges powder too freely, but is of insuiilcient mechanical strength, and above 0.0060 the discharge is few and so widely separated as to have no material effect on the characteristics of the finished article.

At the present time, after repeated attempts, I have been able to produce a satisfactory product only from late, as distinguished from sponge rubber, and the densities and pore sizes specified have reference only to latex. It will be obvious that if technological improvements made it pos-- sible to secure an identical porous structure of sponge rubber, the pore size would be substan-- 'tially unchanged, but the average density would be increased in proportion to the greater specific gravity of rubber, which contains a filler, compared with latex, which does not.

In such a product the so-called skin merely has pores enough smaller than the main mass to prevent percolation of powders. The skin remains permeable to liquids and gases.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pendingapplication Serial Number 284,046 filed July 12, 1939.-

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying knowledge current at the time'of ap plication, readily adapt the same for use under. various conditions of service.

I claim: 4

1. A cosmetic applicator comprising a body having the general shape of a circular disc: said body being of porous latex having pores of varying sizes up to a maximum of the Order of magnitude of 0.075 inch, and a density of approximately'0.0040 pound per cubic inch; said body having an internal slit normally closed throughout its entire extent and debouching through the periphery of said body through an 1 opening of smaller dimensions than the main portion of the slit; said body having a skin formed on one surface only; said skin having pores smaller than the pores in the remainder of said body and being relatively impermeable to pulverulent materials, but permeable to liquids and gases; said skin having a thickness of the order of magnitude of flve-thousandths of an inch.

2. A cosmetic applicator comprising a body having the general shape of a disc; said body being of porous latex having pores of varying sizes up to a maximum of the order of magnitude 0.0040 pound per cubic inch; said body having a normally closed internal slit debouching through slit; said body having a skin formed on one sur- 15 face only; said skin being relatively impermeable to pulverulent materials, but permeable to liquids and gases. e i

3. A cosmetic applicator comprising a body- ,of 0.075 inch, and a density of approximately having the general shape of a disc; said body being of porous latex having pores of varying sizes up to a maximum of the order of magnitude of 0.075 inch, and a density of approximately 0.0040 pound per cubic inch; said body having a skinformed on one surface only; saidwskin being relatively impermeable to pulverulent maten'als; said body having a normally closed internal slit debouching through the periphery of said body through an opening of smaller dimensions than the main portion. of the slit, whereby a charge of powder insertedlby dilating said slit, is held pressed together by the resilience of said I i 2 4. cosmetic application comprising a body having the general shape of a disc; said body being of porous latex and being permeable to pulverulent materials; ,said body having a normally closed internal slit debouching through the periphery of said body through an opening of smaller dimensions than the main portion of the 40 slit, whereby acharge or material inserted by dilating said slit is held presed together by the resilience of saidbody'; said body having a skin formed on one surface only; said skin being relatively impermeable to pulverulent materials,

but permeable to liquids and gases.

5. A'cosmetic. applicator comprising a body having the general shape oi'a disc; said body being of a porous rubber product having pores of varying sizes up to a maximum'of the order 0 of magnitude of 0.075 inch, and, when made of substantially unfilled latex, a density of approximately 0.0040 pound per cubic inch; said body having an internal slit debouching through the periphery of said body through an opening of is smaller dimensions than the main portion of the slit; said body having a skin formed on one surface only; said skin having pores smaller than the pores in the remainder oi'-said body andbelng relatively impermeable to pulverulent materials. 00

CHARLES E. ZIMMERMLAN. 

